CLOVEN HOOF - LEE PAYNE AND CHRIS COSS

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💿Hello guys, it’s a pleasure for us to have on Hardrockheavymetal Chris Coss and Lee Payne of the NWOBHM legend CLOVEN HOOF! CHRIS: An absolute pleasure to be here, We’re always happy to talk to our HEAVY METAL brothers at HARDROCKHEAVYMETAL LEE : Thank you Giovanni for the opportunity to spread the word to CLOVEN HOOF faithful. 💿 We’re in waiting for the return of CLOVEN HOOF with the new album WHO MOURNS FOR THE MORNING STAR?. Can you tell us something about your new platter? LEE: First of all i guess i should introduce the new guys we have in our line up to make our new album the best we’ve done to date, GEORGE CALL (on lead vocals) and DANNY WHITE (on drums). I first met the guys when we were both on the bill to play ‘Keep It True’ festival in Germany. George and Danny were in a great band called Aska and they were on stage just before us. I had been doing interviews for most the morning so I thought there was just time to catch the group on just before us. Initially I wanted to hear what the sound out front was like but when I heard the vocalist, I was totally blown away! All my life I had a vision in my head what I wanted CLOVEN HOOF to sound like. Not only GEORGE has got the perfect voice he looks great too with every ounce of charisma you want from a front man, and DANNY well the guy is a human metronome both in the studio and live on stage keeping us super tight at all times. CHRIS: WHO MOURNS FOR THE MORNING STAR carries on where RESIST OR SERVE has left off, We got some fantastic reviews and the fans loved the album. With the addition of George and Danny there is inevitably a different feel to the new album, differences that we feel will make it our best release to date. The full sonic width of the band is explored and there are epic tracks next to more hard hitting numbers that build and cover a whole spectrum of moods and atmospheres, it combines all the best qualities of the trademark Cloven Hoof sound but it is played better and the vocal delivery is off the scale. LEE: We are back to basics playing from the heart and it shows. Every song is different and yet somehow fits together. We seem to show where we have come from musically and pave the way for a future direction. It is a very exciting release and I’m positive the fans will agree it is our best ever album.” CHRIS: I think the new album will appeal not only appeal to NWOBHM fans but to fans of european power metal as well as an american audience, there is something for everybody, at least that’s the plan (laughs) 💿 The album will be out again on High Roller Records. Can you tell us something about your relationship with the label? LEE: Cloven Hoof and High Roller are a perfect match, we belong on the HIGH ROLLER RECORDS label because they care about metal and nothing else, they have some awesome names on their books ONSLAUGHT, Witchfynde, Exodus, Tokyo Blade to name but a few, we are in great company! CHRIS HIGH ROLLER have been good to us, they were responsible for releasing EYE OF THE SUN for the first time on vinyl. The album was previously available only on CD but now it will be available on both formats and downloads. Throug HIGH ROLLER we also have access to one of the most respected audio engineers in the shape PATRICK ANGEL. He is an absolute wizard - when we got sent the final mix for approval - it was jaw dropping. High Roller do an amazing job on the presentation and sleeves offering limited edition options in coloured vinyl which is exciting. LEE: We have to mention here the amazing job ALEXANDER VON WIEDING has done on a cover artwork as well, its an awesome package. 💿 In March it was published the vinyl's reissue of your first album on Back On Black Records; what do you think about the renewed interest for this classic format? CHRIS: I think vinyl has always had a special place in the heart of HEAVY METAL fans, i can still remember the exitement of putting a record on the turntable and settling down with the cover in hand, reading the sleeve notes, following the lyrics and appreciating the cover artwork, digital formats have lost some that and has changed the way people listen to music. There is nothing wrong with it as it has its benfits in speed of distribution and convenience, but to present fans with the choice of how they want to listen is important. LEE: it was great to collaborate with BACK ON BLACK RECORDS get this classic album released on the classic format, like CHRIS says its important to allow fans to choose how they want to listen, we will always aim release our albums on vinyl as well as other formats. I am a huge fan of vinyl and yes there does generally seem to be a renewed interest for vinyl, but for HEAVY METAL fans the love affair with vinyl has always been there. 💿 Can you give us some info about your next gigs? CHRIS: yes for sure we have 3 shows confirmed for 2017 so far: August 25th we’re playing the ‘Blast from the Past’ clubshow with RIOT V in BELGIUM; August 26th we’re playing TRUEHEIM FESTIVAL in Germany; October 7th We’re playing BRITISH STEEL Saturday Night Festival in Fismes in FRANCE. Hoping to get confirmed one or two more this year... 💿 Thank you so much for your time! See you soon on HARDROCKHEAVYMETAL! CHRIS: Your welcome, its been our pleasure. Everyone should get WHO MOURNS FOR THE MORNING STAR is pure HEAVY METAL at its best! Hopefully we can get out to Italy again soon, we had a great time playing HEAVY METAL VI in Martinsicuro back in 2013, its about time we came back! LEE: I am very proud of all our previous albums, but the new one will take the band into a different league. The fans will not believe there ears, and we have been amazingly fortunate to have them standing united with us through thick and thin. Thanks Giovanni and give my very best wishes to all our fans in Italy, they rule! KEEP METAL TRUE!

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